Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Yoanchorage.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yoanchoragexe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor in March, 1996, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-4620, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-5354, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Fort Myers, Fla. in April, 1997. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and ray floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in July, 1997. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yoanchorage has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yoanchoragexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yoanchoragexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform and upright plant habit.
2. Strong and freely branching growth habit.
3. Dark green-colored foliage.
4. Uniform flowering habit.
5. Early flowering, 8-week response time.
6. Large decorative-type inflorescences.
7. White-colored ray florets.
8. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about four weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in ray floret coloration as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have white-colored ray florets whereas plants of the female parent selection have golden bronze-colored ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants of the female parent selection.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret shape as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have elongated oblong-shaped ray florets whereas plants of the male parent selection have spoon-shaped ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences with fewer disc florets than plants of the male parent selection.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Surf, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,585. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Surf in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more upright than and not as outwardly spreading as plants of the cultivar Surf.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Surf.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more tolerant to high production temperatures than plants of the cultivar Surf.